Former Tottenham strikers Jermain Defoe and Bobby Zamora have backed Ange Postecoglou to thrive at new club Nottingham Forest. Postecoglou was sacked by Spurs in June despite leading the club to Europa League glory, but has only been out of the game for three months.
The Australian is being thrown in at the deep end, with Arsenal awaiting in his first Forest game. He will also arrive with a very different style to predecessor Nuno Espirito Santo, but there is a feeling he has the qualities to hit the ground running.
“I wasn't surprised [to see him back in the game so soon],” said Defoe, who is making his own way in the coaching space after spending time working with Spurs' academy when doing his badges. “Knowing Ange the man, he doesn't shy away from a challenge.
“The fact that he's got this opportunity, it's a massive football club, Nottingham Forest. Won a European trophy, I've mentioned that domestically he wasn't good but at the same time what an opportunity to go into an amazing football club and try to make a difference.
“He's a top manager, he said he was going to win and he does that. But that's football. Managers come and go, but then when you're out of work as a manager you can't wait to get back in. So that's just the game.”
Forest finished 27 points better off than Postecoglou’s Spurs last season, despite scoring six fewer goals. However, Zamora doesn’t think the stylistic differences compared to Nuno will cause too many issues “It's a very different style,” Zamora admitted.
“These are intelligent players, though. They're players that have all played at the very top level, so a change of formation, a change of style, okay, they'll get it, they'll understand it. Listen, they might love it and they might hit the ground running and really shock the Premier League.”
Upon taking over at the City Ground, Postecoglou made it clear he is out to win trophies. He set the same target at Spurs and delivered on it, and Defoe believes he deserves credit for aiming high and succeeding.
“People laughed when he said it but it was like 'That's what I believe',” he added. “Then he delivered it so we just have to hold our hands up and say 'if you say you're going to win a trophy and you win a trophy, what can you say?'”